Thursday, September 10, 2015

What are the steps involved in receiving social security
disability or supplemental security income?

The first step is applying. There are three ways to do that:

You can apply in person at your local office. In Polk County
there is an office in Lakeland on Commerce Drive and one in Winter Haven on
Central Avenue.

You can apply by phone by calling 1(800) 772-1213. ; or

You can apply online at SSA.gov.

Social security typically responds in sixty to ninety days.
If you get turned down, do not give up- Step two is called the “request for
reconsideration.” You fill out the papers and can submit them by mail or in
person.

Again, you usually receive a response in sixty to ninety
days. If you are turned down at step two you go to the final stage by
submitting a “request for hearing.” This is the longest stage in the process.
Over the last year or so, our hearing cases have waited from twelve to eighteen
months.

Why should I hire Lopez & Humphries?

If you retain Lopez & Humphries, you will have an
experienced attorney handle your case from start to finish. Some law firms or
associations that handle social security cases have a “representative” handle
your case. We only have attorneys represent you. This means that you will have
someone who is trained in the rules of evidence, and we have been admitted to
the state and federal bars, In addition, our attorneys have handled over 1000
social security cases that have gone to hearings. This is in addition to over
100 jury trials that we have handled.

No one will hire me so why does social security keep on
turning me down on benefits?

Not finding a job is not a standard on determining whether
you are disabled or not. The social security administration uses a 5 step
evaluation to decide whether you are disabled or not. The most important
criteria are your present physical capabilities and your prior work. Although
you may not be able to work in heavy or manual labor, social security often
turns you down by determining that you are able to do other jobs that are
lighter in nature. It may not matter if you have no experience other than being
a truck driver or a cement layer because there are many jobs that exist that
are unskilled and do not require heavy lifting.

What is the difference between social security disability
and social security income?

Both social security disability (SSD) and supplemental
security income (SSI) use the same physical or functional ability standards in
determining ability, but SSD is based on your work history and the amount of
credits you have with social security. In general, if you have worked five of
the last of ten years, then you meet the initial requirements of SSD, but if
you do not have enough credits, you may be eligible for SSI. However, a
requirement of SSI is minimal household income. Essentially, if you own
personal property valued over $3000, you may not qualify for SSI even if you
are clearly disabled. Further information regarding income limits may be found
at SSA.gov or by calling Social Security.

Do I need to hire an attorney?

No, you can represent yourself like in every legal battle,
but there are many reasons why you should hire a lawyer- we are experienced in
trials; we can prepare your hearing questions;, we will make sure the court has
all of your medical records; and we have specific forms that we give your
doctors that will help your case.